This invention relates to a friction aircraft braking system and more particularly to a new and improved aircraft friction disc braking system having vibration dampening means.
During the braking of an aircraft, the alternately splined stator and rotor discs are brought into sliding contact with each other generating heat and vibration within the braking system. The rotary and stator discs which can be made of metal or carbon must withstand the high heat build-up in such brakes as well as the vibration that occurs therein, which vibration creates noise, reduces the brake lining life and can effect structural fatigue. The present invention is directed to a simple expedient of dampening the vibration by installing a viscoelastic plate member along the transmission path of the vibration mode as between the brake discs and the supporting structure to isolate the brake discs from the supporting structures to enhance overall structural performance while significantly reducing the vibrations.
The viscoelastic Plate member of the invention is an elastic deformable member that yields but recovers its shape and form upon cessation of the stresses of vibration, which plate member dissipates the mechanical energy into heat.